Businesses have struggled to accommodate the changes that have resulted from the coronavirus pandemic. Even with restrictions relaxing somewhat, businesses struggle to keep their workers and their customers safe from infection, while also keeping their businesses afloat. Here are five ways that COVID-19 has affected how businesses carry out their activities:
- Transition to work from home, where possible
- Of course, not every business can operate through telecommuting, but for the ones that can, many have shifted to having their employees work from home. While not necessarily as convenient as having all employees under a single roof, it is substantially safer during the pandemic, allowing meetings to take place without risking in-person exposure. It also helps to avoid costly and time-consuming commutes, which is good for businesses hoping to save money during this time.
- Restricting number of people in a building at once
- For those businesses that are not able to move to telecommuting, many have imposed strict restrictions on how many people can be inside their building at the same time. This includes the imposition of social distancing rules, ensuring people stay far enough apart to minimize the risk of COVID exposure. For many businesses, this has meant deliberately keeping people out of their buildings, creating lines leading out the door to ensure compliance.
- Mandatory mask policies
- It is still the law across New York State that people must wear face masks indoors, but independent of that, many businesses have imposed their own mandatory face mask laws. Employees and customers alike must be masked, and can be removed from the premises for violating store policy and state law. This essential measure against coronavirus exposure has become so commonplace that it has come to be an expected part of doing business.
- Providing more services outdoors or at home
- Without the ability to cater to customers inside their own premises, many businesses have switched to modes of business that allow them to operate outside, literally and figuratively. Many businesses now offer curbside service as part of their normal activities, and delivery has switched from being unusual to being the norm. This is convenient for customers, but also safer for both them and the employees who serve them.
- Offering new products and services
- The fact of the matter is that certain goods and services are no longer in the same level of demand as they were prior to COVID-19. Rather than wait around for the pandemic to end so they can go back to their old way of doing things, many businesses have adapted to providing things that are needed during the pandemic. This adaptation has been essential for keeping businesses going during these difficult economic times.
If you currently own your own business or are looking to form or restructure a business, an experienced attorney can help protect your finances and legal rights. The corporate attorneys at Blodnick, Fazio & Clark are skilled and experienced in representing clients in all aspects of business law and commercial transactions, including antitrust litigation. If you require legal assistance concerning business startups, formation, corporate acquisitions and mergers, corporate restructuring, or another business matter, call (516) 280-7105 or fill out our contact form for a free consultation.
